A day after needing 10 match points to advance, Novak Djokovic did not even come close to getting one.
The former world No.1 lost to Dominic Thiem 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters despite saying recently he was finally playing pain free after two years of struggles with a persistent right elbow injury.
Djokovic saved one match point against Thiem, but indecision appeared to cost him on the second. The ninth-seeded Djokovic seemed to change his mind about which shot to play, initially shaping up for a low backhand volley at the net but instead going for a backhand which went long.
Djokovic did save three set points in the first set, and the momentum carried over into the tiebreak. But his backhand let him down after that, with Thiem getting consecutive breaks and holding for the second set when Djokovic patted a two-handed backhand into the net.
Thiem, who also beat Djokovic on clay in last year’s French Open quarterfinals, will next face defending champion Rafael Nadal or Karen Khachanov.
Third-seeded Alexander Zverev could face his brother in the last eight after beating Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. He will next face either Mischa Zverev or Richard Gasquet.
“Hopefully my brother will win and it will be an amazing day tomorrow,” the younger Zverev said.
Second-seeded Marin Cilic advanced without hitting a ball after Milos Raonic pulled out with a right knee injury. Cilic, the Australian Open runner-up, will next play Kei Nishikori or Andreas Seppi.
Raonic said he hurt his knee during his second-round win on Wednesday.
“It was difficult yesterday early in the match, I rotated on my knee. I thought through treatment and so-forth it would be better,” Raonic said. “I was predisposed to some risk and I was unable to play with that amount of pain. I’ll know more in the (coming) days.”
Sixth-seeded David Goffin also made it through after beating Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-4, 7-5 in a match that included a bizarre incident involving a ball boy.
After dropping his serve to trail 4-1, Bautista Agut cleared a ball from the back of the court just as a ball boy was sprinting across. The ball, which was traveling slowly, bounced and clipped the ball boy on the head. Bautista Agut raised a hand in apology but still got a warning from the chair umpire.
Goffin, a semifinalist in Monte Carlo last year, was confused by what happened.
“I just saw the ball directly hitting the ball boy. I was surprised to see he (Bautista Agut) only got a warning,” Goffin said. “For me, if you send a ball onto the ball boy’s head, you’re (kicked) off. I don’t know what the rules are exactly, how he only got a warning. He said the ball bounced and the ball boy just happened to be there. Bad luck for him. But in any case, it’s just an incident.”
Goffin will next play Grigor Dimitrov in their first meeting on clay. The fourth-seeded Bulgarian beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Novak Djokovic fails to Master Monte Carlo after shock defeat to Dominic Thiem
Novak Djokovic fails to Master Monte Carlo after shock defeat to Dominic Thiem
- Former world No.1 still searching for form after returning from injury.
- Serb is without a title in nearly a year.
Race to Dubai leader Schaper chases third consecutive victory at Dubai Invitational
- Schaper joins a field that includes defending champion Tommy Fleetwood and 5-time Major champion Rory McIlroy
DUBAI: Race to Dubai leader Jayden Schaper will look to maintain his sensational early-season form when he competes at the Dubai Invitational from Jan. 15 to 18.
The 24-year-old South African is riding high after a spectacular Opening Swing that yielded back-to-back victories and propelled him to the summit of the 2026 rankings.
Schaper’s breakthrough came at the Alfred Dunhill Championship on home soil, where he captured his maiden DP World Tour title in a thrilling play-off victory over defending champion Shaun Norris.
A chip-in birdie at the 16th and an eagle at the first extra hole sealed a memorable win that ended years of knocking on the door.
Just one week later, he demonstrated remarkable composure to defend his play-off crown at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, holing out for eagle on the second extra hole to defeat American Ryan Gerard.
“Obviously I had such a good finish to the year in 2025 — having a win back home with the family watching and then going down to Mauritius and having just another incredible week,” said Schaper.
“I’m just looking forward to the start of this run now, as the Desert Swing is always one of my favorites of the year. The weather is good and the golf courses are always perfect — it’s such an awesome place to be.”
Across three appearances during the Opening Swing, Schaper won twice and finished runner-up at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in honor of Gary Player, amassing 1,348 points to dominate the season’s opening phase.
His Opening Swing triumph secured him entry into the Hero Dubai Desert Classic — the first of five Rolex Series events — and all of the DP World Tour’s Back 9 events, along with a $200,000 bonus.
The rapid ascent comes on the back of a consistent 2025 campaign where he collected nine top-10 finishes from 27 starts, establishing himself as one of the Tour’s most promising talents.
“It’s a massive boost (the back-end of 2025),” said Schaper.
“I think it’s more the belief. I’ve been out on Tour for a few years now, and to get your first win is a massive bonus. But to wait five years for your first win and then get your second the week after is such a special feeling.
“Obviously both wins came in a play-off. You always want to be in the play-off, but it’s a tougher way to win. So, it’s just a huge confidence boost to know that you belong out here.
For Schaper, the Dubai Invitational represents an opportunity to make it three wins and build momentum ahead of a season featuring a minimum of 42 tournaments in 25 countries.
“It’s my first time out there today and the course is really nice,” said Schaper.
“It’s got that desert feel, you’re kind of on the water and on the dunes — it’s really nice, I do enjoy it.
“Obviously when you come out here, you want to win every week, so that’s what we’ll try and do out here. It will be a nice boost to the season, so that’s the goal.”
The Dubai Invitational is the opening event on the Race to Dubai's International Swing and is played concurrently with a three-day Pro-Am team event, with Sunday featuring professionals only.
The bi-annual event consists of 60 professional DP World Tour golfers and 60 amateur golfers.
Schaper joins a field that includes defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, five-time Major champion Rory McIlroy, and Open champions Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington and Francesco Molinari.
Also playing are multiple DP World Tour winners, including Ryan Fox and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
